Kind of a big untidy mess of all the things that came together to have stuff done unto them in the last month! It's been fabulous, though, don't get me wrong! What you see there is a pretty big dent in my Master Spinner's homework as well as some work on my most complicated weaving project to date. There is also a hint of the 415 2-ply merino I finished last weekend. Lots of good stuff is coming together on that table! I think, however, I need a bigger table for all the good stuff.
A bigger table, however, is not in the cards. Why? Because I have FINALLY gotten some of my bookcases out of storage! (Another "coming together" thing that's happened in the last month.) I had 4 bookcases custom made for my first home, and I brought the with me to California. Unfortunately, I haven't really been in a place until now where I could bring them - and some of my books - out of storage. Yesterday I got 3 of the 4 bookcases in to the house we're renting, and one of them is in the craft room.
Isn't it pretty? They are all oak with black cherry stain. They make me happy. I need to do some earthquake stabilizing on them before I really load the up with books - that's on the list for this weekend.
But wait, there's more! I mentioned having finished a big ol' batch of merino, which I should have taken a photo of before I sat down at the computer but I didn't - I'll get you all one later - but going through that much spinning in the very short period of time I did it meant I needed a spinning break. Well, my hands needed a spinning break. I was ready to keep on going, myself, but my hands had other ideas and I did have this thing I'd been wanting to try on the loom, so...
That's a block-twill pattern from the September/October 2009 Handwoven magazine. It requires all 8 harnesses on my loom and is definitely the most complicated weaving structure I've done so far! Granted, not that I've done lots and lots - ok, like 2 samplers, a shawl, and a few scarves - but still, it has been a big deal for me. I have learned a great deal about threading errors and how to check for them before you start weaving (missed one, tho', which bugs me), and I'll be learning a bit with regards to color and how to make a vibrant, multi-color scarf that does not clash with itself.
In case you're curious about how to check for threading errors, what I figured out was to get the loom tied up, threaded, and so on, and tie the first half of a surgeon's knot to get some tension in the warp. Then start treadling like you were about to weave and look for skipped heddles, odd tension points, and so on. I found at least 4 errors I was able to go back and correct before I actually started weaving. It meant a fair amount of re-threading through the heddles and reed, but better before weaving than after!
Last but not least in things coming together, my kid brother got married in Illinois earlier this month. He has been dating his now-bride for years and years, and I have every hope this is going to be a marriage that works out well for all concerned. I had mentioned to some folks on Ravelry that I was heading up to Illinois, and it turns out that The Fold, a fine spinning and yarn shop, was not but 30 minutes away from the hotel for the wedding! So of course I had to go see it, and I came away with a pile of goodies:
We've got some lovely pencil roving that I can't wait to treat myself to after I'm done the Level 1 homework for the Master Spinners program. There is a Kundert supported spindle which I'm bound and determined to learn how to use (that's going to be a requirement for Level 2 or 3, I forget which), a gorgeous little True Creations drop spindle (actually I got two), and 1 oz. of rare guanaco fiber. The proprietress, Toni, had some vicuna as well, which is even more rare, but it also costs $250/ounce! That's a very reasonable price for that fiber, in case you're wondering, but it still was a bit rich for my blood. But one day... I'll probably spin up the guanaco as a thin single and weave it in to a shawl as an accent to some baby llama I have ready to spin. That's going to be a very soft, awesome shawl!
Today starts the first day of Winter Closure at my place of employment, so I'm looking forward to 2 weeks of focus on fiber-y goodness. w00t!
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